Special Hobby Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.Mk.11 (SH72437) RAF Squadrons 1:72

[Julien]

Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.Mk.11 (SH72437)

RAF Squadrons

1:72 Special Hobby

 

 

 

Yes that an Armstrong Whitworth Meteor, not a Gloster one.  Gloster did design the Meteor, however by the time the cold was was upon us the RAF had Meteors in the day fighter role but were still using Mosquitoes in the night fighter role.  At the time Gloster were heavily into the design of the Javelin for the RAF so it was put to AW to design and build a Night Fighter version (they did build the majority of Fighter Meteors for the RAF as well).  The NF Meteor would come about as an amalgamation of meteor parts already in use, the main body was that of the tow seat T.7 but with the later tail of the F.8. The four 20mm cannon were moved into the wing  outer spans to accommodate the AI Mk 10 Radar in the nose.  Like the T.7 the crew would not be afforded ejection seats.  The first aircraft flew in May 1950. Later on the NF.12 would feature a US built APS-12 radar, the NF.13 being a tropicalised NF.11. The final version of this venerable night fighter would be the NF.14 featuring a more modern blown canopy,  As well as being supplied to the RAF NF.11s were supplied to other NATO countries. Belgium received 24, Denmark 20 and France had 41. 

 

 

The Kit

This is a recent new tool kit from Special Hobby. As a new tool the moulding are of good quality with good detail and nice recessed panel lines. The kit arrives on 4 main sprues, a smaller sprue and a clear sprue. Construction first begins in the cockpit which builds up to a complete module that slots into the fuselage when built up. The centre bulkhead is added to the floor and then the left side is added. The centre radar console is then built up and installed along with both seats. The rear bulkhead goes on, and in the front cockpit the control column goes in. The right side can then be added. To the underside of this module the nose gear well is then added.  This assembly can then go into the right fuselage. The pilots instrument panel then goes in as does the deck behind the radar operator.  The fuselage can then be closed up.

 

 

Construction now moves onto the wings. Firstly the engines and jet pipes need to be assembled. There is a basic representative Derwent which you will see the front face of through the intake. Behind this there is the jet pipe, and exhaust. These go into the one part upper wing. In front of the engines goes the fairing over the front wing spar which is seen through the intake. Single part intake inners are then fitted.  The aperture for the fuselage at the leading edge of the wing will need to widened slightly.  Moving on the the lower wing the main gear wells need to be built up. The two wing sections can then be joined. The intake leading edges, and exhaust trailing edges are then fitted.

 

 

 

 

The fuselage can now be joined to the wings.  At the rear the tail planes then go on. The main gear units are then assembled and added along with their retraction struts and the main gear doors. Like the real units these are complicated and care need to get them right. At the front the nose wheel and its doors are then added also. To finish off the wing and belly tanks are fitted followed by the canopy, gun muzzles and pitot tube. 

 

 

Markings

The glossy decal sheet is printed in house and looks sharp and in register. There are marking for three aircraft

 

1. WD603/C No.29 Sqn., RAF Tangmere, West Sussex, Great Britain, Jul 1953
2. WM293/B, No.68 Sqn., RAF Wahn, Federal Republic of Germany, 1956
3. WM223/U No. 151 Sqn., RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland, 1954
4. WD642/A No.256 Sqn., 2nd TAF, RAF Geilenkirchen, Federal Republic of Germany, 1958

 

 

 

Conclusion

It is good to see a new kits of the Meteor Night Fighter out there. Highly recommended. 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

 

[Paul Bradley]

Thank goodness we can now throw away our wretched Matchbox kits....

[3DStewart]

Is it my eyes, or is the canopy warped?

[Julien]

15 hours ago, 3DStewart said:

Is it my eyes, or is the canopy warped?

It is not warped.

[stever219]

@Julien are parts 8 and 10 (between the belly tank and starboard fuselage half in the first image) the air con pack intakes as fitted to the NF. 13 and NF. 14s operated by 6 Squadron in the Far East?  If so that brings a few more colour scheme options into play, including 39 Squadron, with or without Operation Musketeer stripes and 219 Squadron plus, of course, 60 Squadron for those of us who’ve already got the NF. 14, which doesn’t include the intakes!

[Julien]

9 hours ago, stever219 said:

@Julien are parts 8 and 10 (between the belly tank and starboard fuselage half in the first image) the air con pack intakes as fitted to the NF. 13 and NF. 14s operated by 6 Squadron in the Far East?  If so that brings a few more colour scheme options into play, including 39 Squadron, with or without Operation Musketeer stripes and 219 Squadron plus, of course, 60 Squadron for those of us who’ve already got the NF. 14, which doesn’t include the intakes!

They look like them, they are certainly crossed out for this boxing 

[franky boy]

Nice review Julien 

 

I have all three of the new tool Special Hobby Meteors in the stash and although I’m yet to build they do look very nice in the box. 
 

James